The New Terabithia
by LyraLockhart
Summary: When his family has to move, how can Jess leave Terabithia? And as the new kid in school, can he be for Victoria what Leslie was for him? Revising chapter 3.
1. Chapter 1: Loved Ones and Leaving

**Disclaimer:**** Yeah, yeah, I think you know.**

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Chapter 1:_Loved Ones and Leaving_

"This stinks," said Jess Aarons to his sister, May Belle. "Why do we have to move?"

"And leave Terabithia!" said May Belle, loudly enough that Jess had to press a finger to his lips to remind her to stay quiet. "What will the Terabithians do without us?" she whispered.

"I don't know, May Belle," said Jess.

They were sitting in their shared bedroom, tidying up for the open house.

When they finished, Jess spoke up: "You know, I really don't want to stick around and watch other people look at the house," he said, walking to the door, "Let's go to Terabithia."

''Kay," said May Belle.

H H H H 

"You know," said May Belle, "We really should think about what sort of instructions we're going to leave."

"Come again?" said Jess, confused. They were in the Terabithian castle, waiting for the open house to end.

"For the new rulers of Terabithia," said May Belle, with the air of pointing out the obvious. "I mean, we have to leave some sort of instructions, otherwise, how will they know what they're supposed to do?"

Jess thought for a moment. "You know what? You have a very good point."

"Of course I do," said May Belle.

H H H H 

Later, Jess was sitting up late, thinking.

You have no idea how badly I miss you, Leslie. You have no idea… 

_May Belle was right; we do need to leave something for the next people to rule Terabithia. But, I don't know quite how to do it justice, you know…_

_I don't know how to do _you_justice…_

_**Well, think about it: how can you do Terabithia justice, if you don't tell the whole story?**_ Said the part of him in which Leslie seemed to live, even after her death.

The whole story? 

_**Well, yeah. You and I both know, the only way you can ever really explain Terabithia to an outsider is to tell them how it all began.**_

_As usual, you're right._

Jess knew what he had to do. He also knew it would be painful. But it would be worth it. He would do it for Terabithia.

I'll do it for you, Leslie…

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_A/N: So, what do you think? Love it? Hate it? I wanna know!_


	2. Chapter 2: The Whole Story

**Chapter 2**

The Whole Story 

Jesse Aarons was an artist, not an author. And yet, he had to try.

It was a long, hard night. There were times when he would have liked to give up. But, he plowed on, and by the end of the night, he had a handful of slightly tear-stained, messily written, yet—in their own way--beautiful, pieces of notebook paper, chronicling how he had met Leslie, how she had helped him find Terabithia, and how, through her death, she had changed Jess's life forever…

Before the sun came up, Jess snuck out, and crossed the bridge into Terabithia.

He walked the familiar path to the castle, climbed to the highest tower, and watched the sun rise over the Terabithian hills, for what seemed to be the last time.

Jess picked up one of the containers that they had kept their food in, and which was now empty, and placed the pages inside. He put the lid on tightly, gently set it on one of the shelves, stood up, and left without a second glance.

As he crossed the bridge back into the mundane world, he took one hard, long look. He would come back later, with May Belle, so they could say goodbye together, but he needed this chance to say it by himself.

But, he just couldn't do it. He couldn't leave Terabithia forever…

_And I'm not going to. I'm not leaving forever. I will come back, someday. I promise…_

And, with that vow, he turned around, and walked back to the house that he would soon be leaving.

H H H H 

As Jess' family was packing to leave, Jess looked around, and saw Janice Avery standing behind him, looking particularly uncomfortable.

He and Janice had gotten along fairly well after Leslie's death; she had stopped picking on him, and she knew without either of them saying that she could talk to Jess whenever she needed a helping hand, or a shoulder to cry on, which she had been reluctant to accept from him at first, though she had had to eventually.

And Jess did consider Janice his friend. True, she was no Leslie, but she was someone to talk to.

"I heard you were leaving today," she said without preamble, "so I came to, you know, say goodbye."

Jess nodded. Janice held her hand out to him, and he shook it. She looked around, as though to make sure nobody was watching. Then, so quickly that Jess almost wasn't sure it had actually happened, Janice Avery hugged him. By the time his mind had begun to process it, Janice was walking down the drive, and waving goodbye. It took a few seconds for Jess to respond, but Janice was obviously waiting for him to, so he waved back.

H H H H

_A/N: Next chappie, folks. I think my OC, Victoria, is going to show up in the next chapter. I'm not sure yet though, so don't hold me to that._


End file.
